


Anything But Magical

by BrokenBookAddict



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Anger, Angst, Dating, Day Two, Declarations Of Love, Developing Relationship, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Feelings, First Dates, First Kiss, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Frustration, Idiots in Love, Jealousy, Light Angst, Love, Prompt- Jealousy, Romance, Second Chances, Snowells, Team as Family, snowellsweek2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-16
Updated: 2020-06-16
Packaged: 2021-03-03 18:54:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,532
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24760381
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BrokenBookAddict/pseuds/BrokenBookAddict
Summary: Jealousy: a sentiment which is born in love and which is produced by fear that the loved person prefers someone else.
Relationships: Caitlin Snow/Earth-2 Harrison "Harry" Wells
Comments: 4
Kudos: 50
Collections: We're A Team Right?





	Anything But Magical

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own the Flash. I do own any errors. 
> 
> Snowells week 2020, day two, prompt- year two: jealousy.

_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_

This is the worst part of the job, having to hang around and wait for the meta and his merry band of no good followers to make their next move. Everyones exhausted, it's been a case which feels never ending but has only been their problem for the last fifty-two hours. It's been draining, literally, what with the meta's abilities allowing him to drain energy from the people around him, leaving them exhausted, dehydrated and on the very edge of unconsciousness. 

Even now twelve hours after his encounter, Cisco is still feeling the effects. Looking around at the others gathered, he comes to a decision. "Since we're gonna be here a while, perhaps we should order some takeout?" 

"That sounds like a good idea," Barry says, feeling his hunger peak now it's been addressed. 

A quick discussion commences of what to order and it's quickly agreed upon that Chinese is tonight's chosen delicacy. After everyone rattles off their order so Cisco can right it down, Barry glances to the med bay. 

"Should we order Caitlin's usual?" 

Iris shakes her head, leaning back in her chair. "No. She has plans and seeing as we're all here, I told her not to cancel." 

"What kinda plans?" Cisco asks, not able to curb his curiosity. 

"She has a date."

As not to be overly obvious, Cisco chances a look in Harry's direction. As expected the news hasn't been taken well. The older man radiates tension, his body rigid as his hands clench into fists. His face a blank void of emotion but if Cisco had to hazard a guess, he would say Harry's pissed. 

Before any more can be said or any more observations made, the door to the med bay opens and Caitlin steps out. 

A loud wolf whistles fill the air from Ralph and Caitlin flushes under the scrutiny of the teams eyes. 

"Good lord Snow cone, at least make the guy work for it." 

Iris glares over at the elongated man as Caitlin frowns down at herself, suddenly unsure of her chosen attire. "Ignore him," Iris instructs sternly. "You look really good." 

Cisco makes a low whistle, shooting her a quiet, "nice."

"Only joking, Caitlin. You look hot," Ralph amends sincerely, wagging his eyebrows. 

Barry sends a thumbs up from across the room. 

Harry doesn't say anything, doesn't even look in her direction. 

Cisco frowns. 

Fidgeting slightly, Caitlin looks between her friends. Her feelings are plainly written across her face. 

"You look nervous," Iris says, tilting her head to consider her friend. "Why?" 

Caitlin shrugs. "It's been a long time since I last dated anyone and I--" she stops and quickly glances at Harry before looking away. "First date Jitters, I guess." 

"You'll do fine," Barry injects confidently. 

Except she doesn't feel confident at all. 

Harry for his part can't bring himself to look at her, to look at anyone really. Because he fears the jealousy and depth of feeling would be evident for all to see. He's angry too. He's angry because he's danced around his feelings for months to never make an advance and now it seems its too late. The chance he had, he simply missed and it's all his fault, no one else's. The change between them had happened gradually and almost without realising, until one day he simply looked at her and knew. In that moment he knew he'd fallen in love with her. There were times when the emotion seemed mutual, where she looked at him like one of those emoji things with hearts over the eyes that Cisco always sent to Kamilla. Despite the connection he now has between his head and his heart, where he's fully in tune with his own emotions, he hadn't the courage to make the connection between them. He couldn't tell her. For a number of reasons, all of which had their days. One day they would seem terrifying and irrelevant, where the next they would be the burning bright and relevant. 

Pros and cons were weighed, the resulting outcome remains outstanding, which with this development makes it all rather unnecessary in the end. She has a date. That's all there is. There's the answer. Simple.

Harry had fucked up. 

"So who is he? Where did you meet? And where's he taking you?" 

Caitlin absorbes Iris' questions then offers the required answers. "His name is Jamie and he's a financial data analyst. We meet at Jitters two days ago and I'm meeting him at the Stowbridge." 

"Oooo, it's supposed to be divine there, I mentioned to Barry that we should try it." 

"It's had good reviews so I've seen." Caitlin brushes her hands down her midnight blue dress, smoothing out the imaginary wrinkles. She bites her lip. This is made more difficult because her heart really isn't in it. "I better get going." 

"Take a breath and you'll be fine. You'll knock his socks off." 

Caitlin smiles slightly at Iris' moral boost. "It's doubt that but I'll try." 

"Have fun at your fancy restaurant Snow cone, while the rest of us stay here to defeat the bad guys and feast upon good old Chinese takeout." Ralph says, while giving her a salute. 

She groans playfully. "Not the golden dragon?" 

"Yep," Cisco replies cheerfully, knowing full well it's her favourite takeout place. He's growing tired and irritated by Harry's lack of input into the conversation and also how he refuses to acknowledge her existence. Since she stepped into the room, he's basically stared at the monitor, ignoring everything and everyone around him. 

"Maybe I shouldn't go."

"Hello no. You go and enjoy yourself. I want to know what it's like, the food and the date." 

"Right." Caitlin nods, pausing to breath like Iris suggested. Her eyes stray once more to Harry and the lingering hurt bubbles to the surface. She shouldn't feel as bad as she does. She hasn't done anything wrong. Mentally she reminds herself of that over and over. "Well have a good night guys." 

The gang wish her the same, except for Harry. 

Cisco's frown deepens further. 

Moving to the main desk, Caitlin picks up her phone where it rests beside the screen Harry's currently staring at. 

The subtle flowery perfume she's wearing invades his senses when she steps up beside him. 

"Night Harry." 

It pains him not to reply, to not look at her but the jealousy and hurt inflicted by himself remains strong and makes it all to easy to ignore her softly spoken words. Even as it inflicts hurt upon her in the process. 

Cisco watches his best friend's face fall at the lack of reaction and his irritation grows. As she walks out of the cortex with an air of defeat she tries so desperately to hide, his glare burns into the side of Harry's skull. So fierce he draws the man's attention. 

"What?" He asks roughly, quiet enough not to draw the others attention who have now gone back to talking among themselves. 

"Was that really necessary?" 

A scowl crosses Harry's face. "What?" 

Cisco throw his hands up, agitation spilling over. "You know, it's been a long time since I thought you were a dick, until now. Caitlin didn't deserve that and it isn't her fault you couldn't get your head out of your ass to see what's right there in front of you." 

For a long while Harry doesn't say anything, until eventually he does. "Do you think I don't know that?" 

Cisco shrugs, leaning back in his chair. "No, I think you do and I think you know it's your own fault and-- you already know what I think about all this."

"It isn't that easy, Ramon." Harry mutters in annoyance. 

"Dude, it's only as hard as you make it. Come on, this is Caitlin we're talking about." 

"Exactly. This is Caitlin," Harry states gruffly. "If I'm wrong, what then? How are we supposed to work together? Just ignore everything? Is that your advice?" 

Cisco honestly can't believe how hopeless this situation is. "The only thing wrong here Harry, is you thinking Caitlin couldn't possibly feel the same way you do. Because you don't see the way she looks at you."

Harry swallows hard and looks away. "Does it really matter now?" 

Cisco answers his question with one of his own. "Why, because she's going on a date?" 

The clench of jaw is answer enough. 

"Caitlin's doing this because she thinks she has too." He tells the older man, with a shake of his head. "And honestly, I don't think it'll amount to anything. Not unless the fates intervene, the stars align and this becomes the most magical of first dates."

As it turns out, the stars didn't align and it was any but magical. 

After his talk with Cisco, Harry stropped out of the cortex to cool off. So to clear his head, he took advantage of the cooling evening air to walk the streets, block after block until he found himself standing in front of a building. 

The street is quiet around him, a woman walks a black dog across the road and a cab passes. That's it. He stands on the sidewalk staring up. Unconsciously, as his thoughts raged over the woman his heart carries close, his feet had taken him to the building where she lives. It's only been an hour or so since she left for her date so it's highly likely to be awhile before she returns. 

What exactly he's doing here is anyones guess because even he doesn't know.

Climbing the steps, he waves away the doorman inside and sits down. Why, again, he doesn't know. Lately he feels like he doesn't know or understand anything outside of this dull ache which has long ago settled within his chest. It's all-consuming, a constant and something he's unable to ignore. Because Harry's tried, numerous times with no success. Instead of diminishing, the feelings have increased in ferocity, burning brighter and hotter and it only makes him feel worse. Like water running through his fingers, uncontrollable and terrifying. 

Caution and unwillingness had been the overriding feelings he experienced when he first realised this development. It has been a very long time since he's felt this way, the last time being his wife who died. Caution played it's part in not wanting to feel the hurt of losing someone again. Unwillingness played it's part in the struggle of moving on. Again, because there hadn't been anyone since his wife. It all tied back to that causing him to hold back and dwell and over think until eventually he was too late. Chance missed. 

And now she's out on a date with some asshole guy named Jamie.... and even if he isn't an asshole because clearly Harry hasn't met the guy, it's irrelevant. She's out there on a date, eating dinner and allowing someone to see and discover the wonderful person she is. 

Except she isn't.

Because a cab rolls to a stop at the curb, the door swings open and Caitlin gets out after handing over some bills to the driver. 

Suddenly it feels like Harry can't breath because she's here and he doesn't know what he's doing. He hadn't had time to think. So when she turns around to find him sat on her apartment steps, surprise and confusion clouds her pretty features. 

"Harry? What are you doing here?" She asks, closing the distance to stand at the bottom of the steps. Panic suddenly clouds her features erasing her confusion. "Has something happened? Is everyone alright?" 

He shakes his head, needing to first of all, reassure her. "Everything's fine, nothing is wrong." 

"Oh." She nervously chews her bottom lip, looking up at him. "What are you doing here?" 

He stiffens at the question, not prepared for it. "What are you doing here? What happened with your date?" He reflects her question with some of his own. 

"Nothing. He didn't show up. I waited an hour at the bar before giving up."

Puzzlement steeps through Harry at the idea someone could honestly stand up a woman as beautiful, inside and out, as Caitlin. Completely baffling. He was right to think the guy's an asshole... and a fucking moron apparently. But then... when he takes a second to think about it, he is too. The latter, not the former. 

"Harry? Are you okay?" 

Her soft voice cuts through the haze of jumbled thoughts to make him realise he'd been staring at her with a frown on his face. "I'm fine." 

"Okay." She bites her lip, tilting her head to consider him. 

If she was going to say anything further, she doesn't get an opportunity to say it. 

He's been given an opportunity here and for once, he's going to take Cisco's advice, muster courage and simply do it. Taking a deep breath, Harry looks to her. "I want to apologise for earlier, I-I shouldn't have, I mean-" 

"It's fine." 

"It isn't. It really isn't." He shakes his head, a frown on his handsome face as he stares at her. His bright blue eyes sweep over her, taking in her midnight blue dress, her exposed shoulders and her long, endless legs... "You really do look stunning." 

The five words slip out all too easy, surprising them both. 

Her breathe catches and all she can do is stare back, because words fail in the moment. 

And in that moment Cisco's words come back to Harry and he wonders if it's possible for things to be worse than they already are. Fate Intervened to delivered a less than magical first date and he has another chance. 

Pushing himself up, Harry descends the four steps previously climbed until he's in front of her. So very close. "I didn't say anything earlier because I--" 

"What?" 

"I was jealous and angry." 

"Why?" 

It's because he's so close to her that he catches the look of hope in her pretty hazel eyes. For the first time, Harry sees what Cisco meant when he mentioned the way she looks at him. The ache in his chest lessens as his heart pounds. "I think you know why." 

Caitlin stares at him, habit draws that lower lip between harsh teeth. 

It's a habit which has plagued him and he can't stop him. He reaches out his hand, thumb releasing her lip as it slowly ghosts across. 

"I didn't want to go." She whispers, referring to her disastrous date. 

"I didn't want you to go either." 

They stand there almost stupified at the bottom of her steps, completely lost in the newfound connection forging stronger between them. But there's one thing missing. 

"Harry?" 

"Hmm?" 

"I think this is where you kiss me." 

Caitlin remains captivated as those bright pools of blue deepen, darker and darker until they match the material of her dress. 

"I can do that." 

And on a warm evening while standing outside her building on the sidewalk, for the first time, Harry kisses Caitlin. Soft and sweet, a quiet passion igniting between them as her hands curl into the back of his jacket, as his cradle her head. 

It's turns out to be the first in a very long line of firsts that night. 

The end. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading. ❤


End file.
